Apparatus for applying closures to containers



June 27, 1967 H. H. FRANZ 3,327,454

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS Filed March 11, 1964 INVENTOR. HENRY H. FRANZ A TTOR NE YnSZ United States Patent 3,327,454 APPARATUS FGR APPLYING CLOSURES T0 CONTAINERS Henry H. Franz, 3201 Falls Clifi Road, Baltimore, Md. 21211 Filed Mar. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 351,018 4 Claims. (Cl. 53-357) This invention relates broadly to devices for applying closures to containers and more specifically to improvements in an expansible throat member for a capping head of a container closing apparatus.

In machines for capping containers, such as bottles or the like, it is the customary practice to place a ductile disc over the upper external surface of the container mouth so that upon application of suitable pressure, the ductile material of the disc will be pressed over said surface so as to conform to the contour of the mouth of the container. In containers of this type, the container mouth is usually defined by a bead surrounding same for receiving the disc of ductile material which is then subject to a certain amount of pressure through suitable means for forcing the marginal portion of said disc beneath said bead for securely locking the disc upon the container. The disc of ductile material is of the type that is readily employed as a closure or cover for a conventional milk bottle. The upper surface of such a closure, when applied to the mouth of a bottle, extends over said mouth as a closure member with the marginal portion thereof being tightened or secured about the bead defining the mouth of said bottle by ironing said closure about the bead.

In capping machines, the open end of a container is introduced into a guide where the bead defining the mouth of the container engages a disc of ductile material that has been delivered to a supporting ledge. The disc is retained upon the head of the container mouth as the container is elevated in the capping head until it engages a presser foot. The capping head contains an annular throat member, disposed in concentric relation with the presser foot, which engages the ductile disc so as to iron the marginal portions of said disc about the head of the container. In prior machines for capping containers, the annular throat member has usually consisted of a plurality of segmental strips or elements arranged in abutting engagement with one another to form a ring-like member. The segmental elements have been held together to form the ring member by an encircling coil spring or by a flexible band type of member so that the throat member, in its assembled condition, would be flexible or expansible to permit for variations in shape as well as size of the bead surrounding and defining the container mouth.

The use of a throat member of the aforementioned type in a capping or sealing head has not proven, in all cases, to be entirely satisfactory. It has been found that quite often pieces or particles of foreign matter, such as lint or parts of the material forming the closure discs, become lodged between adjacent segments of the throat member resulting in an expansion of said spring and a separation of said segments which increases the inside diameter of the throat member. As a result of said separation and an improper contraction of the spring encircled segments, the throat member of the capping head is incapable of properly functioning to insure that the discs are ironed over the bead defining the mouth of the container to provide for a close and tight fit of the disc upon said container mouth. The use of a resilient and flexible band, in lieu of a coil spring, to retain the segments in engagement with one another still permits the segments to separate whereby foreign matter may readily become lodged therebetween.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a capping head for a machine applying closures to containers with a throat member formed from a single piece of material for engaging a ductile disc to move the marginal portions thereof into engagement with the mouth of the container.

Another object is to provide in a container closing machine a capping head having an inherently resilient tubular throat member formed as a unitary split ring element for engaging and applying a ductile closure member to the mouth of a container.

A further object is to provide a machine for applying closures to containers having a capping head with an inherently resilient tubular throat member formed as a unitary split ring element for receiving the mouth of a container which may be oversize or out-of-round in order to apply a ductile material disc closure member thereto.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention are to provide a throat member that is economical of manufacture, positive of operation at all times and configured to readily permit the discharge or ejection of any foreign material therefrom.

Other objects and advantages, more or less ancillary to the foregoing in the manner in which all of the various objects are realized, will appear in the following description, which, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a bottle capping machine showing a capping head embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the capping head embodying the present invention, the view being taken on the plane 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the throat member shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a modified form of a throat member.

Referring to FIGURE 1, there is shown a portion of a capping head of a container closing apparatus comprising a cylindrical stern member 10 that terminates in an enlarged circular capping head or base portion 12. Inasmuch as the present invention is directed to an improvement in the capping head structure only that portion has been disclosed which is considered necessary for a full and complete understanding of the invention. It is to be noted that the capping head structure of the present invention is of the general type as disclosed in the patent to Dennis et 211., 2,518,294 of Aug. 8, 1950; this patent being referred to as providing a system in which the new throat is well adapted for use though by no means limited thereto.

The capping head 12 has positioned within the cavity thereof an annulus 14 which is supported on the upper end of an elongated tubular member 16 that is disposed within the head 12. The tubular member 16 and head 12 have positioned therein in concentric relation therewith a tubular throat member 18 that is formed adjacent its upper edge with an external annular rib 20 which engages an internal annular ledge 22 formed on the member 16. The throat member 18 is suspended from the member 16 by means of the rib 20 engaging the ledge 22 while the upper edge or surface of the throat member is retained in engagement with the annulus 14.

The throat member 18, FIGURE 3, is a unitary member of circular configuration that is formed with a slot 24 which may be inclined and extend through the body and rib portion of said member. The throat member 18 is of non-uniform thickness in cross section. The portion of the throat member adjacent the slot 24 is of less thickness than the portion of the throat member diametrically opposite said slot, so that, the throat member gradually increases in thickness from the portion adjacent the slot 24 to the portion of maximum thickness directly opposite the slot. The material from which the throat member 18 is formed should have certain inherent resilient characterics that will permit a degree of flexing and stretching by said throat member in order to accommodate the mouth of a container which might be somewhat out-ofround or slightly oversize. The forming of the throat member from a single piece of inherently resilient material not only provides for a flexing and stretching of said member but also precludes the collecting and retention of any :lint or foreign matter by said member. In addition, the slot 24 is of such a size as to readily permit the passage therethrough of any lint or foreign material that might tend to become lodged therein, and yet if the slot should require cleaning, same could be readily accomplished due to its size.

The capping head 12 has associated therewith a circular member 26, FIGURE 1, that serves as a guide for the mouth of a milk bottle 28. The guide member 26 may be formed adjacent its upper edge with an internal annular ledge 30' that constitutes a support for the outer peripheral marginal portion of a ductile metal disc member 32. The cylindrical member 10 has slidably disposed therein a disc member 34 which has formed integrally therewith a depending segment36 that is positioned by means of a press fit within a socket 38 formed in the upstanding portion of a presser tool 40*. The presser tool 40, which is arranged in co-axial alignment with the throat member 18, is provided with an enlarged end or foot portion 42, that is designed to engage the closure disc 32 and hold same in engagement with the annular bead defining the mouth of the container as the disc and mouth portion of the container move through or into the throat member 18-. The annulus 14 is formed with an aperture in the central portion thereof through which extends the socket portion of the presser tool 40, while the disc member 34 seats upon the portion of the annulus defining said aperture when the capping or sealing head is in its inoperative position. A coil spring 44 slidably disposed within the member 10 engages the disc member 314 for urging same towards the annulus 14.

In the operation of the capping head utilizing the throat member of the present invention, it may be assumed that a ductile metallic disc 32 has either been supported on the ledge 30 where it was engaged by the mouth of the bottle 28 as it moves upwardly through the guide sleeve 26 or that such a disc has been placed upon the mouth of the bottle prior to its entry into the guide sleeve. The mouth of the bottle 28 has the usual annular bead 46, which has a top exterior surface outwardly convexed, that is, of increasing diameter from its top to the line or plane of maximum circumference of the bead, the bead presenting a shoulder below this line. Upon the upward movement of the bottle 28 through the guide sleeve 26-, the disc member 32, seated upon the bead 46, will be engaged by the foot portion 42 of the presser tool 40. While the presser tool is holding the disc member 32,

the bottle and capping head will move with respect to one another so that the lower edge of the throat member 18 will move into engagement with the marginal portion of the disc member 32.

The continued movement of the capping head and bottle will cause the member 34 to compress the spring 44 while the throat member 18 bends the marginal portion of the disc member 32 about the bead 46 of the bottle 28 in the manner as shown in FIGURE 1. Thus, the throat member 18 will iron the marginal or skirt portion of the disc member 32 immediately above the line of maximum circumference of the head 46 of the bottle, which action results in the skirt portion of the disc member being smoothly conformed to the configuration of the bead surface in the area or zone in which the lowermost portion of the throat member is engaging the disc member 32 so that the skirt portion of the disc is drawn or ironed into smooth conformation with the bead surface 46 of the bottle. Thus, the lowermost portion of the throat member 18 travels to a point slightly beyond the line of maximum circumference of the bead 46 of the bottle in ironing the marginal skirt portion of the ductile disc member about said bead 46 of the bottle. The throat member 18 being formed with a single slot and from a single piece of inherently resilient material is capable of flexing and stretching so as to accommodate bottles wherein the head is slightly oversized or wherein the bead might be slightly out-of-round.

The modified throat member 50, shown in FIGURE 4, is identical in all respects with throat member 18, FIG- URE 3, with the exception that the slot 52 is vertical and not inclined as is slot 24. The manner of flexing and stretching to accommodate the beads of bottles which might be out-of-round or slightly oversized, when using the throat member as shown in FIGURE 4, is the same in all respects as the throat member illustrated in FIG- URE 3, and the manner in which said throat member engages the ductile metal disc for securing same to the bead of the bottle is identical with that as disclosed in connection with the throat member as illustrated in FIG- URE 3.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining and that .various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

I claim:

1. In a capping machine, a sealing head defining a cavity with a tubular member positioned therein, an annulus mounted in said head and supported upon said tubular member, an annular ledge formed on said tubular member, an inherently resilient unitary throat member supported by said ledge in concentric relation with said tubular member, said throat member being of tubular configuration and capable of flexing and stretching, a guideway associated with said head for receiving the mouth of a container and a closure disc and directing the container towards said head and throat member, said throat member expanding upon engaging said closure disc for compressing and ironing same about the mouth of the container.

2. A throat for a sealing head of a closure applying apparatus comprising a tubular member formed from a piece of inherently resilient material, said member having a slot formed therein extending from the top to the bottom thereof, the portion of said member diametrically opposite said slot being of greater thickness in cross section than the portion of said member adjacent said slot.

3. A cap-ping machine embodying a sealing head having a depending open mouthed skirt portion, a presser tool positioned within said head, an elongated tubular throat member positioned within said head in concentric relation to said presser tool, said throat member being References Cited inherently resilient and of unitary configuration, said UNITED STATES PATENTS throat member having a slot therein extending from one end of said tubular member to the other, and being 1,083,235 8/1913 Adriance et 53-357 capable of flexing and stretching said sealing head re- 5 1,956,208 4/1934 Booth 53-310 ceiving the mouth of a container and a closure disc and 2,705,641 4/1955 Simpson 27941 said throat member expanding upon engaging said disc for ironing same about the mouth of the container. TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner.

4. In a capping machine of the type as set forth in claim 1 wherein said throat member has a slot formed 10 FRANK BAILEY Exammer in at least one end portion thereof. R. L. FARRIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CAPPING MACHINE, A SEALING HEAD DEFINING A CAVITY WITH A TUBULAR MEMBER POSITIONED THEREIN, AN ANNULUS MOUNTED IN SAID HEAD AND SUPPORTED UPON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, AN ANNULAR LEDGE FORMED ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, AN INHERENTLY RESILIENT UNITARY THROAT MEMBER SUPPORTED BY SAID LEDGE IN CONCENTRIC RELATION WITH SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID THROAT MEMBER BEING OF TUBULAR CONFIGURATION AND CAPABLE OF FLEXING AND STRETCHING, A GUIDEWAY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID HEAD FOR RECEIVING THE MOUTH OF A CONTAINER AND A CLOSURE DISC AND DIRECTING THE CONTAINER TOWARDS SAID HEAD AND THROAT MEMBER, SAID THROAT MEMBER EXPANDING UPON ENGAGING SAID CLOSURE DISC FOR COMPRESSING AND IRONING SAME ABOUT THE MOUTH OF THE CONTAINER. 